15mm Arab Armour

Syrian SU-100s - models from Battlefront

More stuff from the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge, two Syrian SU-100 tank destroyers and a T-55 from Khurasan, all 15mm size models.

The SU-100, a surplus beast from the later period of WW2, served in the organic anti-tank elements of Arab infantry and mechanized divisions in both the 1967 and 1973 wars.  These two particular beasts - both Battlefront models - are painted in an Syrian-inspired 1973 camouflage scheme that included patches of yellow and grey over a dark green base.

New camoflage scheme attempted on these tanks

These models will see action in scenarios where the Syrians are attempting to halt the IDF counter-attack across the "Purple Line" in 1973.

The quality of these Battlefront models is top notch.  They are from a "Guards Tank Destroyer" which includes five tanks, with options to paint them as either SU-85 or SU-100 tank destroyers.  I'm not sure what I will do with the other three - either paint them up for my WW2 Soviets, or paint them in Egyptian colours...we'll see...

Great models from Battlefront

The T-55 is from Khurasan, part of Khurasan's new 1973 war range.  While I was not very wowed by the Khurasan IDF infantry, this tank is really, really nice.  The body, turret and treads are all resin, and the accessories - cupola hatches, main gun, IR searchlight, cupola MG, etc. - are cast in metal.  You can build the tank as either a T-54 or T-55. One very unique feature with these models is the fact that you have the option to model the spare external fuel cannisters, common features of Warsaw Pact-era tanks, at the rear of the tank on or off.

T-55 from Khurasan

The model components are a little fiddly, but overall it comes together quite nicely. Some of the detail on the hull is a little soft, particularly the indentations on the fuel tanks, but overall this is a clean, crisp tank with unique modelling options and a quality in metal accessories.  Well done Khurasan!

Painted in Egyptian/generic Arab desert/arid colours

If there is any issue with these tanks, it is the size.  They are a touch small - not inaccurate, just smaller than, say, a Peter Pig T-55.  It's just a sniff of the "1/56" effect.  I don't think they would mix that well.  But that's no deal breaker.  These are nice tanks, and you can buy them in lots of ten if, like me, you need T-55s in company-sized allotments!

Khurasan did a great job with these models!

This is painted in colours that would work for the Egyptian army in 1967, as I am hoping to do some "Fate of a Nation" games.  Yes...Flames of War...you saw it here...but these tanks will also do in a pinch to represent the Egyptians in 1973, or the Iraqi tanks sent to help the Syrians in 1973.

This was just a test model.  No matter what rules I use, I will need plenty of T-55s for Arab-Israli gaming. One tank down, and as you can see from the picture, a lot more to go...

15mm Yom Kippur Bits

Egyptian T-55s, kicking off expansion of my 15mm Yom Kippur project

Well I've been on vacation, and it's been summer (or sort-of-summer, but the weather seems to have finally turned back to seasonal norms here in the prairies), and I've been painting stuff, but not really in any sort of sensible way, or discernible pattern. So I can't really call this "progress" on a project, but it's an excuse to post some pictures! It's just a few bits for my 15mm Yom Kippur War collection - an IDF half track, and a some Egyptian "test" models.

IDF 15mm half track

The M3 half track is one of the IDF's iconic armoured fighting vehicles. By the time of the 1973 war, the IDF was starting to phase them out in favour of the new M113 APCs, but the M3s still saw a lot of action in the conflict.

The model is accurate for WW2, but I think I goofed in terms of making it correct for the IDF. MG is not in the right place, for starters

So far my 15mm Yom Kippur project has focused on the Golan Heights front, and the IDF armoured infantry battalions in place there at the time of the Syrian attack had the new M113s. But M3s were still around, so I thought it would be fun to paint one up, act as a command APC, etc.

This is a Peter Pig 15mm vehicle - lovely to work with

There are a lot of M3 half-track models out there, but nearly all are set for WW2. This is a Peter Pig 15mm model, and while it is lovely, I should have modified a few things to match the look of the IDF. I'm not sure the IDF used the cupola for the MG, for instance, and they often mounted another MG in the front plate to the right of the driver. Perhaps those will be conversion attempts for another time. But to try and cover up for the lack of specifics, I threw on a paint scheme that I have seen in some of the photos from the war in the hopes this will allow the vehicle to blend in on the table. But is the marking from 1973? Or 1967? I'm not sure - I'm hoping for the best.

Lots of room in the M3!

I am also looking to expand my collection into the Sinai. Operation "Badr", the Egyptian crossing of the Suez canal, and the IDF's furious counter attack and counter crossing at Deversoir provide a great backdrop for gaming. That will mean getting some Egyptians done, so I experimented with some painting schemes with that in mind. Up first, some infantry.

Peter Pig 15mm "Professionals" painted as 1973 Egyptian troops

Once again, after searching around, I opted to go with Peter Pig 15mm, and hope the scale and brushwork can give some cover to the fact that the figures are not Egyptians at all. The Egyptian infantry in 1973 were issued with a dark tan coloured sleeveless vest/jerkin for the crossing operation. I think it was meant to help the troops carry more equipment across in the assault rafts, but that's just a guess.  They are one of those little details that really "make" the setting, however, so I'm trying to bodge it.

One fellow has an RPD LMG, the rest have AKs

The Peter Pig figures do not have this jerkin/vest sculpted on to them (and why would they - they are meant to represent general infantry in Africa, not 1973 Egyptians) but to cover for this I painted their shirts two different colours. At 15mm size, it looks sort of close...I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. My highlighting made it a little too bright, so in future I will leave it darker to try and up the contrast level.

Should be good enough for 15mm Yom Kippur action in the Sinai

And of course, the real "stars of the show" (with apologies to the hard working foot sloggers) are the tanks! Gaming the Yom Kippur War is a great excuse to cover the table in tanks. I'm surprised more WW2 gamer-types don't get into it, honestly, because so many of them (like me) love gaming with armour. But enough about that for now, on to the Egyptian armour...

T-55s from Peter Pig painted as Egyptian tanks for 1973

I've seen many variations on Egyptian camouflage and general vehicles colours - some all green, some all sand, some all stone, some a mix, some stone with green and brown. No one scheme has struck me as "official". For testing purposes I started out on these two test models using a stone-coloured base with green splotches. I like the look of the pattern a lot, and in theory I think it would help for fighting in the Sinai desert, or in the agricultural areas around the canal where there is some greenery to hide in. These T-55s are from Peter Pig.

I love these Peter Pig tanks!

I really like the look of this camo pattern - still need some practice but it will get better.  And as I expand the vehicle line, I can experiment with some of the different patterns I've seen on the Egyptian tanks.

Ready to take on the IDF in some major Sinai engagements - just need to add another 10 or so....

I have a few more of these Peter Pig T-55s, but to bulk up my Egyptian tank force I am looking at either the Battlefront Vietnam war box sets (the NVA tanks, APCs and the AA tanks from that range would all be perfect for the Sinai and also provide nice additions to my Syrian forces) or the Old Glory products. I despise Battlefront's pricing, but their stuff IS nice. The Old Glory pricing is better, but I'm always wary of their quality, which can be hit and miss - but I have to say I've heard great things about their T-54s/55s.

Special thanks to Nate and his blog for his help and interest in this project. His Yom Kippur War gaming project is top-notch - check it our here and look through his blog. Nate - your advice and tips are greatly appreciated!